1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to saw type cotton gins and the principal objective is to provide means for increasing the capacity by introducing a positive second, or auxiliary seed discharge means longitudinally through the roll box approximately through the axial center thereof. The auxiliary discharge means comprises a helicoid conveyor preferably having both right and left hand flights and arranged to convey clean seed laterally away from the center of the roll box and to discharge them out through both ends and into seed chutes through which they fall into the common seed conveyor beneath the gin(s).
The capacity of gins in general use today, in normal good operating condition, is limited by the amount of clean seed that can "fall" out of the roll box by gravity through the narrow spaces between the saws (about 11/16" center to center) from side to side, and between the ginning and hulling ribs (21/2 to 3" from front to back). I have discovered that capacity can be increased in direct proportion to the amount of additional clean seed discharged through the independent auxiliary seed discharge as provided herein.
Under some circumstances it may be desirable to discharge the seed from the conveyor out only one end of the gin. In this case an all right hand or all left hand flighted conveyor and a single seed chute is used. In either case, independent variable speed power sources are recommended.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,091,001 Pease et al. This patent is directed to a "high-capacity" gin in current use and discloses an important feature of means that assist the gin saws in turning the mass comprising the seed roll. It is essential to recognize the fact that any "float" or powered member introduced into the seed roll rotate in the same direction as the seed roll itself, otherwise the added friction will cause the roll to cease turning and the ribs will choke, the gin saws may be damaged and the lint set on fire.
On the negative side, U.S. Pat. No. 3,091,001 discloses no new means for discharging the clean seed which must still "fall out" the old way. Thus, their statement that the work done by the saws is increased by more than 100% is somewhat exaggerated and can be achieved only by providing additional seed discharge means which are in no way disclosed, or even recognized as being desirable. Relying solely on the seed falling out by gravity has proven to be the barrier to significantly higher capacity in gins in current use. The present invention solves this problem by providing a second, or auxiliary seed discharge as disclosed herein.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,135,021 Jennings. This is an inoperable device, due mainly to the friction resulting from the cylinderical housing 17 "fixed" to the gin frame which prevents the free turning of the roll. There is no access to the area where the saws enter the rotary ribs, where chokes occur, especially if the roll rotation is impeded as by housing 17. More important is the failure to provide any means to operate the valve 20 either outside or inside the frame 10. This is a clear violation of Rules Of Practice in failing to illustrate every feature specified in the claims. Under these circumstances this patent cannot be considered an operable or valid disclosure for removing seed from the roll box. Furthermore there is no disclosure of a gravity seed discharge as in convential saw gins. The frame 10 is completely closed at the bottom.
By providing both gravity and positive auxiliary seed discharge means, the ginning art is significantly advanced by my invention as fully disclosed herein.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,743,484 Raynor. This "trash remover" for removing foreign matter from the center of the roll box in no way anticipates the concept of the present invention. By inference, the perforations are too small to admit cotton seed which must fall out between the saws in the conventional way. (Col 4, lines 21-26) Even if seed could enter the perforations they would be sheared by the spiral land of the breaker 56 which "sweeps" the inner surface of the member 50. (Col. 3, lines 6-12) Further, the patent claims "aperforate cylinder rotatably mounted--", but there is no antecedent for "rotatably mounted" any where in the specifications. Neither do the drawings show journal bearings for so mounting the casing, nor do they show any means of driving the casing. FIGS. 3 and 4 show member 50 as fixed to the ends of the roll box. The drawings are also inconsistent; FIG. 1 shows the drive to axle 54 from two different shafts, one of which is saw shaft 14 as in FIG. 3, and an unnumbered shaft in FIG. 1. In either case the rotation of axle 54 is clockwise the same as saw axle 14. How, and in what direction is the tubular member rotated? Another defect reflecting the inadequacy of this Patent is that the drive to breaker axle 54 is from a source to the rear of a line from this axle through the center of the pivot of the gin breast. In this position belt 58 would prevent the opening of the breast which is an essential requirement of gins of the type illustrated. There is no provision for loosening or disengaging belt 58. The gin as illustrated is completely inoperative. It is obvious that this fails in several ways to meet the requirements of the Rules Of Practice for clear disclosure to fully support every element in the claims.
There is no valid anticipation in this patent by itself, or in combination with the previously reviewed patents to suggest the advances in the ginning art clearly illustrated, specified and claimed by me in this application, and only the "hindsight" provided herein teaches the essential final steps and combinations in achieving an important improvement in high capacity ginning by providing a second, or auxilliary clean seed discharge means of this invention.